In this article, we explore the importance of establishing eat (expertise, authoritativeness, and trustworthiness) on your website as a content creator.
With recent Google algorithm updates and the rise of AI-generated content, it’s crucial to set yourself apart as a real blogger with legitimate information.
Joining us today is Kyle Roof, an experienced SEO professional with a patent for his scientific approach to determining ranking factors in Google’s algorithm.
Together, we discuss specific factors that can help establish eat on your website, including establishing a real business, a real website, and expertise.
Table of Contents
Key Takeaways
- Establishing a real business involves providing a local address, local phone number, about the company page, and a separate about the team page.
- Establishing a real website includes having a current copyright, SSL, mobile-friendly design, and limited 404s and broken links.
- Establishing expertise involves having author pages or bio pages with person schema and author schema when citing articles. Real people with real information are key to establishing eat on your website.
Establishing a Real Business
If you are a blogger who wants to establish expertise, authoritativeness, and trustworthiness (E-A-T) on your website, you need to show that you are running a real business. Here are some easy things you can do to establish your business as legitimate:
Adding a Local Address
Real businesses have an address, and it’s important to include one on your website. Even if you work from home, you can still use your home address as your business address. It’s best to put your address in the footer of your website and on your “Contact Us” page. This will help bots find your site and verify that it’s a real business.
Having a Local Phone Number
In addition to an address, you should also have a local phone number that matches your location. This is important because it shows that you are a different business from others at the same address. If you use a service that provides you with a mailbox, make sure you have a unique phone number that shows you are a real business.
Creating an About the Company Page
Real businesses have an “About Us” or “About the Company” page that talks about their history, mission, and values. This page should be easy to find on your website and should include information about your business that a bot can crawl and verify.
Creating an About the Team Page
In addition to an “About Us” page, you should also have an “About the Team” page that talks about the people in your company. This page should include bios of your team members, including their names, photos, job titles, and a brief description of their roles. You can also include links to their LinkedIn profiles or other social media accounts.
By following these simple steps, you can establish your business as a legitimate entity and improve your website’s E-A-T. Remember, it’s not about having one specific thing, but about ticking enough boxes to show that you are a real business with real people behind your content.
Establishing a Real Website
If you want to establish your website as a legitimate business, there are a few things you can do to make sure it looks professional and trustworthy to both users and search engines. Here are some easy ways to make sure your website looks like a real business:
Having a Current Copyright
One of the easiest ways to show that your website is up-to-date and actively maintained is to have a current copyright notice. This is a small detail, but it can make a big difference in how your website is perceived. Make sure your copyright notice is up-to-date and displays the current year.
Having an SSL Certificate
Having an SSL certificate is important for both security and SEO reasons. It shows that your website is secure and protects users’ personal information. It also helps your website rank higher in search engine results pages (SERPs). Make sure your website has an SSL certificate and that it is installed correctly.
Being Mobile-Friendly
With more and more people using their mobile devices to browse the internet, having a mobile-friendly website is crucial. Not only does it provide a better user experience, but it also helps your website rank higher in mobile search results. Make sure your website is optimized for mobile devices.
Avoiding Broken Links and 404 Errors
Broken links and 404 errors can be frustrating for users and can hurt your website’s reputation. Make sure all of your links are working properly and that there are no broken links or 404 errors on your website. Regularly check your website for broken links and fix them as soon as possible.
By following these simple steps, you can establish your website as a legitimate business and improve its reputation with users and search engines. These are easy things to do, but they can make a big difference in how your website is perceived.
Establishing Expertise
As a content creator, it’s important to establish expertise, authoritativeness, and trustworthiness (E-A-T) to set yourself apart from copycats and AI-generated content. Here are some easy things you can do to establish E-A-T on your website.
Creating Author Pages or Bio Pages
Real businesses have more authority than random people, so it’s important to treat your blog like a business. Create an “About the Company” page and a separate “About the Team” page to show that your blog is a real business. Even if you’re an individual blogger, you are a business once you start making money or trying to make money.
Adding Person Schema
To establish that a real person is behind your content, create author pages or bio pages with person schema. Fill out the person schema with information such as the author’s LinkedIn page, places they went to school, and other professional information. This will show that the author is a real person and not a fake persona.
Linking to LinkedIn or Other Professional Pages
Linking to the author’s LinkedIn page or other professional pages can also establish expertise. This shows that the author has a professional background and is knowledgeable in their field.
Using Author Schema to Cite Back to Bio Page
Use author schema to cite back to the author’s bio page on your site. This will show that a real person wrote the article and that their bio page has more information about them. Linking back to the author’s bio page also helps Google verify that the author is a real person.
Establishing expertise is an important part of creating successful content. By creating author pages or bio pages, adding person schema, linking to professional pages, and using author schema to cite back to bio pages, you can establish E-A-T and set yourself apart as a real business and a knowledgeable content creator.
Conclusion:
To establish expertise, authoritativeness, and trustworthiness (EAT) on your website, there are a few easy things you can do. First, make sure your website appears to be a real business by including a local address and phone number that matches that location. Additionally, have an “about the company” page and a separate “about the team” page that talks about the people in the company. Don’t worry if you’re an individual blogger, you’re still a business once you start making money.
To show that your website is real, make sure to have a current copyright and be mobile-friendly. Also, limit 404s, broken links, and 500s.
To establish that a real person is behind the information on your website, have author pages or bio pages with person schema. Link to their LinkedIn page or places they went to school. When they write an article, use author schema and cite back to their bio page.
Remember, it’s not about having an expert write your content, but rather showing that a real person is behind it. Include a real bio page and use author schema to link to it from your articles.
By implementing these easy steps, you can establish EAT on your website, setting yourself apart from fakes and copycats as well as from AI.